Archive for May, 2014

Happy Memorial Day everybody. I hope that everybody had a great day yesterday and you are all rested, reverent and thankful.
In case you need a refresher, let me show you my favorite thing to watch on Memorial Day….its the men of the Old Guard at “the Tomb”.
Smooth operators……smooth. And long after we’re gone….they’ll still be smooth.
Enjoy the Memorial Day Parade in Washington.

There we go, isn’t that nice.
On the lighter side of things, here is one of my favorite memorial day pictures.
There were celebrations everywhere this weekend.
For example, the Roses held the “Sausage Fest” almost a month early, and at Camp Hiawatha.
I’m very sure that very good times were had by all.
In Fort of the Collins, the SWOBO Folsum Fist Fight happened.
Here is a picture from the UP of Michigan, where there is still floating ice on Lake Superior.
Well, at least the sun is out.
Here in Utah, the sun was not out on Saturday, which is when we were suppose to have our Kona Demo at the High West Distillery.
We’ll reschedule it.
Doug did not reschedule his recon of the Wasatch.
As you can see the weather improved Sun and Mon so we rode bike and took breaks.
Yup.
And it looks like a busy week at the shop, so off I go.

Lots going on at the shop…very busy being Spring time and all.
Lets start with a pic of our shop cat, Chewy
She’s a spicy little meatball, isn’t she?
My darling wife has completed the back porch.
And me, I used my dental skill/instruments to install the TiVo and orientating our antenna – so that we will never miss Columbo again.
I knew you’d be proud.
There has been some riding.
Its a little creepy, but that plane that went down is right by Suicidal Tendencies.
So it goes.
And a hummingbird has made a nest above our recently rehab’d light.
Lets get down to some brass tacks here because many people have been making purchasing decisions about goods.
Check out GoalZero, we have been enjoying the Dharma Wheels Solar Array coming to a theater near you this summer. Solar power is like farming – just with a faster return. Its great to charge up the big generator in a day – then run the shop with it. Really a nice circle.
Goal Zero has refurbished solar generator units and I must say, the price is right.
The first set of the new M series Enve wheels has departed the shop. Expensive, high performance, and worth every dollar.
Here is a good one from today. So I”m at the light with bagel in hand going to the shop this morning and as I step down on the pedal, I hear an incredible pop and grind. Thought I was in the right gear….evidently not. See, happens to everybody. Made it to the shop to swap out the link.

Fork and Shock service is in full swing.
Alright, lets get to some events. We can talk about things that have happened.
Like the Almanzo.
And the HurlTron 5000. The Hurltron does not need sleep…it does not need food….nor water….the Hurltron does not care what brand of cigarettes it smokes. It knows how to do only one thing.
#StayOnIt.
Big props to Ms. Piper, who made the stylish choice to wear her Dharma Wheels cap (not hat) throughout the suffering of the Almanzo. She was fueled up and ready to go.
Just to keep the theme of women and cycling….here is Carl and Gizmo the cat.
In local news, we have an event tomorrow.14_MTF_fundraiser_poster
And the Kona demo is Saturday.Utah Demos
Since those didn’t leave you with pics, I’ll leave you with this from one of the larger shops.
“Unsafe at any speed”.

Don’t let the title get you down…you win some and loose some.
Years ago, I took part in a plan to do the White Rim in Moab in a single day. For those of you who don’t know, its 113 miles, and this was early May. The day approached and I was ill….and not “suck it up ill”….I mean throw up – dehydrated – food makes me sick ill. I still pumped out 50 at Gemini Bridges that day – but it was safe to say that it would have been dangerous to try for the White Rim at that time.
So this year, my revenge was to take a White Rim trip with a group. Catered meals, 30-some mile days….time to enjoy the scenery.
The weather looked questionable in the days leading up to the trip…..so I rode in Santa Clara.
Eventually it came down to a field decision….and I bagged it.
18″ fell at Brian Head.
And then over the weekend I watched as almost a half inch of rain fell over Moab.
These things happen and I put this in here so that when you’re in a similar spot, you have the courage to do the right thing.

So, the plan is for me to train, yes train, and do the white rim in a day……this fall before Outerbike….when I can pick the day based on the weather.

Its also been wet for the start of the Giro, which I’m proud to say starts in Ireland.
When you grow up Catholic in a big city, you are culturally Irish – same thing if your a fireman….so its nice to see the the country come together for the event.
Here is the money shot from Dublin.
And we can take a moment and talk about everybody’s favorite Irish rider King Kelly
Straight up Baller.
Hey, a fun video came out about Park Tools.

Which goes along with a nifty little check up video from our friends at QBP

May and June are always busy months at bike shops. And even though ours is unique…..its still busier than average.
And thats great. We get quite a large cross section of people at the shop. A couple privateer racers who choose to sponsor themselves and ride the products that best meet their needs rather than the free cheap shit they get from their friends who are reps….Professional people who value their time and value good information and want results….investment bankers, doctors, lawyers, business owners. And I do sell bikes to people in the bike industry too. People who work at larger shops that specialize in $40 tunes and don’t have a ton of knowledge (yet) about product/history/outcomes. Maybe their shop doesn’t carry the high end brand that they want to ride. Thats cool. One of my favorite types of people to see at the shop are people new to the sport or new to a type of cycling. Take for example the ex-road racer who wants to get into touring….that is a fun experience. Or the mountain bike racer looking to do some bikepacking. I do also like people who are getting into cycling for fitness and don’t need a 14lb road bike because they have some weight to drop. a 35C Ti cross bike sometimes is just the thing that you add a 28C set of ENVE wheels to when you get down to your weight goal. I’m embarrassed to say that in the bike industry needs to treat Triathletes and Women in our sport better.
Speaking of the larger riders, kudo’s to Fat Lad for including these people too. See the article HERE.
And if you’re already at race weight, you can rock H-Ball’s Kit. Which you can order HERE.
Speaking of jerseys, there is a chance that we have enough interest to do another run of Dharma Wheels Cyclery jerseys – I’ll send out an email to those on the list and for those not – I’ll post it here if we can get enough takers to meet the minimums.
Spring time is a great time to get out there. Here is Zeke’s shot from riding around Des Moines.
Also excellent conditions in So. Utah. Photo by Jordan Rarick.
And with that, its back to work.